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Searching for the best read-aloud software

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CodeTRUCKER:
I too am grateful for your thorough relation of what you have learned.

marjorie:
I was just looking at TextAloud again.  The basic version that I got with the Heather voice for a $5 discount can change voices and insert pauses just like the Natural Reader's enterprise version that is available for a special price of only $99.50!  In TextAloud, you have to have the settings to SAPI5 only to change voices in a document.  You access the controls in the Edit menu's sixth section from the top or probably more easily, the third section from the bottom.  The commands, Insert Pause and Insert Voice Change, automatically insert the XML to do your bidding.  Of course, be sure the cursor is located where you want the change to occur.

I am still debating if it is worth $99.50 to get sentence by sentence navigation.

Best wishes,
Marjorie

marjorie:
I owe some thanks here to the people of this forum.

nosh has introduced me to Loquendo Voices (excellent at http://www.loquendo.com/en/demos/demo_tts.htm), DSpeech, and G.O.T.D.  At the site for DSpeech I learned that Windows XP does not have SAPI4, which explains why all those free voices have not been available to me.  I installed the SAPI4 file given on the DSpeech page (http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/), but maybe I have to restart for it to take effect.  G.O.T.D. turns out to be a wonderful source for reviews of software that was given out free.  I have made a note of it so I can remember to check there in the future (http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/textaloud-2266/#comments).

muntealb introduced me to Balabolka (http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm) which is now installed on my computer.  It was listed on TUCOWS (http://www.tucows.com/Windows/AudioVideo/Audio/TextToSpeech/), but was not rated so I did not check it out previously.  DSpeech is also there not rated.  In my brief look at Balabolka, it seems up to the competition.  As it reads the text, the letters change from black to blue so it is easy to track where the reader is.  I'll report more later.  muntealb also introduced me to Expressivo, which is on the TUCOWS list and is rated with the highest 5-cow rating.  I don't have any good reason for not noticing it before other than overload (for $49 at http://www.expressivo.com/experience/ideas_and_description.html).  I really like the Jennifer voice.  Maybe I can get the voice to use.  In time I will check out the program more fully.  By the way, at TUCOWS you can get the program for $29 (http://www.tucows.com/preview/514550).

muntealb also introduced me to Nuance, which was reinforced by Doc Savage's comments.  But I am in total overload now so I need to digest some of this.

neel spoke of wordtalk, a MS Word macro, but I have not been able to get into the web site given (connection timed out http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/).

curt is a person who uses very few words to give lots of links to voices and additional TTS programs.

Jock Snow, Vellu (the Finnish guy), and I agree that Audrey is probably the best AT&T voice.  It is not because she has an English accent.  It is because Audrey has a clear voice with very pleasant tones.

And thanks to Grorgy for introducing me to Bits du Jour.  I bought the planning software that was offered today (http://www.bitsdujour.com/).  I am hoping it will help me with lesson planning in my teaching job, which has become very complicated of late.

In short, I am happy to be a part of this community.  I have learned a lot!

Best wishes,
Marjorie

marjorie:
In my thanks, I left out Mouser who gave me a link to this thread in an email.

Thank you all,
Marjorie

AHMalik:
Regards.
Text Aloud sometime back offered by giveawayoftheday.com is also a good SW & have the facillity of your own vioces

it is from nextup.com shareware.

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